Packing for piston-rods



J. M.B0WERs. Packing for Piston-Rods.

No.-2 26,832. Patented April 27,1880.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. BOWERS, OF OAMBRIDGEPORT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO DWIGHT SEXTON CLARK, OF SAME PLACE; SAID BOWERS AND OLARKASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH OF THEIR RIGHT TO GEORGE E. BURNHAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

' PACKING FOR PISTON-RODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,832, dated April 27, 1880.

Application filed August 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN lVIOORE BOWERS, of Oambridgeport, Middlesex county, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Packing for the Piston-Rods or Valve- Stems of Steam and other Engines, which I call a Flexible Metallic Packing, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of my invention is that of a packing or device placed round the piston-rod or "alve-stem of a steam or other engine, which packing is flexible and elastic, and at the same time presents a metallic surface to attrition and the object is to furnish a pack ing which, while effecting the usual purposes of a packing, is morelasting than any ever before used.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side view of my device. Fig. 2 is a view of the same in vertical section. Fig. 3 is aview from above of one portion of the device, as hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, O 0, Fig. 1, (C, Fig. 2,) represent a piston-rod, (represented in con]- 2 5 pany with the device proper for the purpose of illustration.)

D D D, Fig. 1, (D D*, D D*, D D*, Fig. 2, D, Fig. 3,) are three rings or grumme-ts, laid one above the other and enveloping the pis- 0 ton-rod C. These rings, for convenience in making and in being applied, are not continuous, (see Fig. 3,) any possible leakage of the "steam being prevented by placing, in putting the packing together, a continuous portion of one ring opposite the broken portion of the one next to it. These rings are made of a core of flax, hemp, cotton, or other similar substance, the fibers being laid side by side, or, at pleasure, lightly twisted, the rope formed 40 by the combined fibers being of just suflicient length to reach round the piston-rod to be packed, and the ends of the fibers being secured together by a string or similar device tied or fastened round them. The rings in being made are, when straight, respectively wound round helically with a flat strip of metal, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) preferably lead, though I sometimes use copper or other soft metal or alloy of metals. The metallic strips are wound round ill a regular and symmetrical helix; but in bending the strip-covered core to a circular shape the small rings formed by the strips separate from each other on the outside of the rope-ring, and approach and overlap each other on the inner side, so as to form 5 a continuous metallic covering to the rope-ring where it impinges on the sides of the pistonrod.

E E E E, Fig. l, (E E ,E E E E",E E", Fig. 2,) are flat disks or washers of lead or other soft metal,fitting, by a hole through the center, respectively, on the piston-rod. These disks are cut or divided at one place, as the grummets are divided. This is for convenience in adjusting to the piston-rod. Two of these disks are at the top and bottom, respectively, of the device, and two are respectively interposed between the grummets, above and below them.

The substance of my invention is the pro 0 duction of a packing in which a continuous surface of soft metal impinging on the pistonrod is so combined with a flexible elastic backin the nature of a core, or otherwise, as that the metal is held close to the opposing sur- 7 face, which effects attrition, and is at the same time capable of yielding, thus securing the advantage of diminishing the attrition consequent upon friction, while giving a strong and coherent packing.

I sometimes alloy my lead strips or ribbons or my washers with tin or other metal or metals, and I sometimes form my strips by making a round wire or a tube of lead or alloy of lead and flattening the same, thus convert- 8 ing it into a ribbon; and I do not confine myself to any particular width or thickness in my strips, except that they should be narrow or thin enough to allow sufficient flexure.

I do not claim an elastic or a flexible tube or other body wound with wire or covered in whole or in part with wire-gauze or gauze formed of wire and other substances.

I claim I A packing for piston-rods. 850., formed of 5 an elastic core or backing faced at the point of friction with strips or ribbons of lead or an alloy of lead, and with or without the rings or washers, all constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

JOHN MOORE BOWERS.

Vitnesses:

LEMUEL P. J ENKs, DWIGHT S. CLARK. 

